Mystery of the Missing Spitzer Emails

Former Governor, Attorney General, and "Client #9" Eliot Spitzer may have had more to hide than the illicit sex that cost him the top job in New York State. That would seem to be the only reason Spitzer's successor as Attorney General is dragging his feet on releasing e-mails sent by Spitzer regarding the state's prosecution of American International Group (AIG) and its former chief executive, Hank Greenberg.

Then-Attorney General Spitzer brought a civil case against Greenberg for alleged accounting errors relating to the company's insurance loss reserves--a case that is ongoing, despite Greenberg's departure from AIG.

In May, a New York appeals panel remanded the case for trial, upholding the trial court’s ruling against summary judgment. But now, it appears, Spitzer’s original case may have been motivated less by evidence than by political ambition.

There was significant speculation at the time that Spitzer brought his case against AIG and Greenberg that the prosecution was politically motivated. As Greenberg’s attorney stated in a court filing, “At that time, Spitzer was planning to run for Governor of the state of New York, and he has since admitted that his high-profile pursuit of Greenberg achieved its intended objective of enhancing his reputation as he pursued higher office. AIG was, at the time, one of the world's most successful companies and Greenberg was the one of the world's most successful business leaders.”  (Continues)